The model is the World Series of Poker TV coverage

[Split Rock]

Originally Posted by pweizer

They are very different games. What makes poker work on TV is that the viewer can see the hole cards so they know what is happening as the hand unfolds. There is no similar comparison for racing. Watching races is very exciting. Watching a room full of people watch races is not. Watching a room of people where nearly every horse is covered by someone in any given race has little drama.

Paul

Agreed. However, if the show is telecast on delay and edited with narration, it might be a bit more interesting. However, to the non horse player, it probably wouldn't have the appeal the initial poster would have hoped for.

The main problem is that viewing poker and seeing the hole cards allow the home audience to strategize along with the players and live vicariously through the conclusion of the hand. Viewing racing without the specifics around why a horse will run or not run is rather uninteresting.

Saying it a bit differently, is there any difference between a $5,000 claiming race and the Kentucky Derby to the novice horse racing person watching a race on TV? Other than the excitement surrounding the race, that person wouldn't know the difference. So, unlike poker where you understand why certain things are happening, a faceless horse race has no meaning to most.